The relentless drive to miniaturize metal components has set a welcoming stage for additive micromanufacturing (µAM). Here we present a µAM technology that is a combination of fluidic scanning probe microscopy and 3D printing.
A plating electrolyte for copper is locally delivered to print a voxel. The electrodeposition process is locally enabled by a hollow, microchanneled cantilever with a nanoscale nozzle. The one-step process is a room temperature manufacturing method which yields high-quality, pure metal. Various metals like Cu, Au, Ag, Ni and Pt can be printed.
An object is built up sequentially out of 3D building blocks, termed voxels. Accurate control of the air pressure used to expel the electrolyte from the nozzle opening enables tuning of the voxel diameter, and thus object size. Further reduction of voxel diameter is possible through use of a modified nozzle aperture.

With this technique nanowires of 200 nm in diameter, or objects based on voxel printing with resolutions starting at 1µm can be manufactured. Even honeycomb lattices built up with thousands of voxels can be done.
This technology drives additive micromanufacturing of metals well beyond its current state.